Busy summer as nursery groups expand

Two of the Bright Horizons settings are workplace nurseries serving education professionals. A 98-place nursery and pre-school at the University of Oxford is the fifth run by Bright Horizons at the institution.

In September, the group will open a 50-place daycare and pre-school setting at the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) headquarters in Cheltenham.

And children in Woking have already started attending a five-room setting in the town centre, with two gardens, a beach feature and water resources.

Commenting on the UCAS nursery, UCAS chief executive Mary Curnock Cook said the chain recognised ‘the particular challenges for colleagues wanting to combine a fulfilling career with bringing up a family’.

‘Early indications are that both male and female staff are excited about the opportunity to have their children looked after on-site in a high quality nursery with access to a wonderful expanse of outdoor space,’ she said.

Last week, Bright Horizons announced it had acquired a group of four London-based nurseries previously owned by Little Unicorn Day Nurseries, and the Phoenix Day Nursery in Essex.
 

Paint Pots pre-school

Southampton-based nursery group Paint Pots is also set to open a new setting in September.

The 48-place pre-school is housed in a former church building and will offer funded places for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

It is the third pre-school owned by the group in the city, alongside its six day nurseries and one after-school club.

Owner David Wright told Nursery World the pre-schools differed from nurseries as they only take children aged two and above, and have a shorter day from 8:30am to 3:30pm.

He explained that Paint Pots does not have a growth strategy, but as opportunities arise in the area the company had become ‘the biggest provider in the city by number’.

Mr Wright said church leaders invited the group to open a nursery at the facility after a children’s centre ceased providing outreach services from the venue. Southampton City Council also confirmed there was need for early years provision at the location.

‘It’s right at the heart of the community on an estate,’ Mr Wright added. ‘We’ve had a number of email enquiries and people walking in off the street and signed application forms.’

The setting opens on 5 September 2016.